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Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > Animals & society
This Is A New Release Of The Original 1906 Edition.
Left in the wild, Billie the elephant would have spent her life surrounded by her family, free to wander the jungles of Asia. Instead, she was captured as a baby and shipped to America where she arrived in the mid 1950s, long before circus and zoo-goers worried about animal living conditions. Billie spent her first years confined in a tiny zoo yard giving rides to children. At 19, she was sold and groomed for life in the circus. Billie mastered difficult stunts: she could balance on her hind legs, walk on her front legs and perform one-foot handstands. For twenty-three years she dazzled audiences, but she lived a life of neglect and abuse. As years passed, Billie rebelled. When she attacked and injured her trainer, a federal inspector ordered her taken off the road. For a decade she languished in a dusty barn. Finally, fate intervened. The U.S. Department of Agriculture removed Billie and fifteen other elephants as part of the largest elephant rescue in American history. Billie wound up at a sanctuary for performing elephants in Tennessee at 45, but she thundered with anxiety in her new environment and refused to let anyone remove a chain still clamped around her leg. Last Chain on Billie charts the growing movement to rescue performing elephants from lives of misery, and tells the story of how one emotionally damaged elephant overcame her past and learned to trust humans again.
From eye-witness accounts of elephants apparently mourning the death of family members to an experiment that showed that hungry rhesus monkeys would not take food if doing so gave another monkey an electric shock, there is much evidence of animals displaying what seem to be moral feelings. But despite such suggestive evidence, philosophers steadfastly deny that animals can act morally, and for reasons that virtually everyone has found convincing. In Can Animals be Moral?, philosopher Mark Rowlands examines the reasoning of philosophers and scientists on this question-ranging from Aristotle and Kant to Hume and Darwin-and reveals that their arguments fall far short of compelling. The basic argument against moral behavior in animals is that humans have capabilities that animals lack. We can reflect on our motivations, formulate abstract principles that allow that allow us to judge right from wrong. For an actor to be moral, he or she must be able scrutinize their motivations and actions. No animal can do these things-no animal is moral. Rowland naturally agrees that humans possess a moral consciousness that no animal can rival, but he argues that it is not necessary for an individual to have the ability to reflect on his or her motives to be moral. Animals can't do all that we can do, but they can act on the basis of some moral reasons-basic moral reasons involving concern for others. And when they do this, they are doing just what we do when we act on the basis of these reasons: They are acting morally.
How egocentric of humans to think we are the only beings who can think, feel, bond with others, etc. As the "dominating" species, we have a responsibility to care for and protect the entire planet, including the other animals. Those who describe animals as not having any thoughts or feelings come closer to the description they're trying to describe. Its enormously puzzling that extreme suffering only gets widely questioned if it is the suffering of members of the human species. It is extraordinary how many people just accept the appalling treatment of such a vast number of animals. Animals have souls and we have a duty to respect them Anything less is to deny one's humanity and one's own soul Numerous stories outlined in this book prove this point, beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Most approaches to animal ethics ground the moral standing of nonhumans in some appeal to their capacities for intelligent autonomy or mental sentience. "Corporal Compassion "emphasizes the phenomenal and somatic commonality of living beings; a philosophy of body that seeks to displace any notion of anthropomorphic empathy in viewing the moral experiences of nonhuman living beings. Ralph R. Acampora employs phenomenology, hermeneutics, existentialism and deconstruction to connect and contest analytic treatments of animal rights and liberation theory. In doing so, he focuses on issues of being and value, and posits a felt nexus of bodily being, termed symphysis, to devise an interspecies ethos. Acampora uses this broad-based bioethic to engage in dialogue with other strains of environmental ethics and ecophilosophy. "Corporal Compassion" examines the practical applications of the somatic ethos in contexts such as laboratory experimentation and zoological exhibition and challenges practitioners to move past recent reforms and look to a future beyond exploitation or total noninterference--a posthumanist culture that advocates caring in a participatory approach.
Listen as Nikki retells her piglets' favorite bedtime story. It is the story of how she escaped a factory farm, give birth to piglets on a "mound of dry ground" and how they came to live in peace at Farm Sanctuary, Watkins Glen, NY. In the end, Nikki does not know if her piglets believe that the story she tells is true. She doesn't mind. She knows they will live long and happy at Farm Sanctuary. More of us are becoming aware of from where our food comes and how the animals involved are treated. This story can open discussions for older children or can be read as a simpler story for younger children.
The great apes -- gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans --
are known to be our closest living relatives. Chimpanzees in
particular share 98 percent of our DNA, and scientists widely agree
that they exhibit intellectual abilities long thought to be unique
to humans, such as self-awareness and the ability to interpret the
moods and identify the needs of others. The close relation of apes
to humans raises important ethical questions. Are they better
protected in the wild or in zoos? Should they be used in biomedical
research? Should they be afforded the same legal protections as
humans?
New research into human and animal consciousness, a heightened awareness of the methods and consequences of intensive farming, and modern concerns about animal welfare and ecology are among the factors that have made our relationship to animals an area of burning interest in contemporary philosophy. Utilizing methods inspired by Ludwig Wittgenstein, the contributors to this volume explore this area in a variety of ways. Topics discussed include: * scientific vs. non-scientific ways of describing human and animal behaviour* the ethics of eating particular animal species* human nature, emotions, and instinctive reactions* responses of wonder towards the natural world* the moral relevance of literature* the concept of dignity* the question of whether non-human animals can use languageThis book will be of great value to anyone interested in philosophical and interdisciplinary issues concerning language, ethics and humanity's relation to animals and the natural world.
You might think that the protection of animals' rights is a modern, Western concern. In fact, people all over the world and down the ages have cared what happens to animals, and not just the cute mammals. Today animals need protecting more than ever: their lives are used and abused in laboratories, zoos and hunts, and they are reared intensively on farms. And out in the wild, animals are losing their habitats to logging and oil exploration. This "No-Nonsense Guide" explains the key issues, charts the growth of the animal rights movement and looks at welfare and protection laws. And it includes a practical day to day guide to what you can do to minimise exploitation.
As the title suggests, this book deals with the subject of cows. Normally we see cows as docile, dumb creatures, grazing nonchalantly in some far distance. But there is a whole lot more going on in their lives. Numerous stories from around the World are presented herein to substantiate this point. Where does all the war, racism, terrorism, violence, and cruelty that's so endemic to human civilization come from? Why do humans exploit and massacre each other so regularly? Why is our species so violence-prone? To answer these questions we would do well to think about our exploitation and slaughter of animals and its effect on human civilization.
Animals are our best friends, and they are one of the best gifts that life has to offer. We need to care for animals, and treat them the way, that we want to be treated, and that is with love, kindness, and respect, because the animals of the world are also our future. This is a rhyming children's book, that will teach young children the importance of caring for animals, and it will show them that an animal is more than just a cute and cuddly friend, because they also need our love and gentle care.
This book examines one of the most pressing cultural concerns that surfaced in the last decade - the question of the place and significance of the animal. This collection of essays represents the outcome of various conversations regarding animal studies and shows multidisciplinarity at its very best, namely, a rigorous approach within one discipline in conversation with others around a common theme. The contributors discuss the most relevant disciplines regarding this conversation, namely: philosophy, anthropology, religious studies, theology, history of religions, archaeology and cultural studies. The first section, Thinking about Animals, explores philosophical, anthropological and religious perspectives, raising general questions about the human perception of animals and its crucial cultural significance. The second section explores the intriguing topic of the way animals have been used historically as religious symbols and in religious rituals. The third section re-examines some Christian theological and biblical approaches to animals in the light of current concerns. The final section extends the implications of traditional views about other animals to more specific ethical theories and practices.
Living work of art, consumer commodity, scientific hero and environmental menace: the humble goldfish is the ultimate human cultural artefact. A creature of supposedly little memory and short lifespan, it has universal appeal. In ancient China, goldfish were saved from predators in acts of religious reverence and selectively bred for their glittering grace. In the East, they became the subject of exquisite art, regarded as living flowers that moved, while in the West, they became ubiquitous residents of the Victorian parlour. Cheap and eminently available, today they are bred by the millions for the growing domestic pet market, while also proving to be important to laboratory studies of perception, vision and intelligence. In this illuminating homage to the goldfish, Anna Marie Roos challenges the cultural preconceptions of a creature often thought to be common and disposable, as she blends art and science to trace the surprising and intriguing history of this much-loved animal.
This book deals with the internal lives of the cows and contains true stories from around the world. Cow is a very sober animal and does not wag its tail as often as a dog. This does not mean dog is good and cow is food. All animals including the dog should be shown love and care. But cow especially has a serious significance for human existence. Talk about cows' feelings is often brushed off as fluffy and sentimental but this book proves it otherwise.
Know the animals, respect the planet, love thy neighbor. Rowan Blogg is an Australian veterinarian of the highest
distinction and I greatly admire his professionalism, which I
observed for years at close range. Rowan Blogg examines the role of wildlife on the planet, millions of years before our species became dominant, but how much habitat do we reserve for their natural life? How many species are under threat? The world's population will stabilise at about nine billion in
2050 - and this raises the fundamental issues of how much land,
water and energy we will devote to raising animals for food. Is
grazing an efficient or humane way of feeding our species? Do we turn our eyes away from the inevitable suffering involved
in animal transport, especially life sheep exports? We are in Dr Blogg's debt for this thoughtful, passionate
book.
A collaboration between an attorney and an animal protection advocate, this work utilises the extremely controversial and high-profile "crush video" case, US v. Stevens, to explore how American society attempts to balance the protection of free speech and the prevention of animal cruelty. Starting from the detailed case study of a single prominent ruling, the authors provide a masterful survey of important issues facing society in the area of animal welfare. The Stevens case included various "hot topic" elements connected to the role of government as arbiter of public morality, including judicial attitudes to sexual deviance and dogfighting.
Documentary photographer Lee Craker traveled to northern Thailand to study the plight of the Asian elephant. What he found is an industry fueled by greed and funded by tourism with little regard for the future of this noble animal. He also found dedicated people committed to helping the endangered elephants. This book came to be out of a request from one of Thailand's most prominent elephant activists, Lek Chailert, who when asked what could be done to save the elephants of Thailand, said, "Please educate people." This cry for education was shared by other prominent elephant activists in Thailand who played a large part in the research and and development of this book, I am indebted to John Roberts, Dan Bucknell, Carol Stevenson and many others who are fighting for the elephants in Thailand and around the world.
From Mickey Mouse to the teddy bear, from the Republican elephant to the use of "jackass" as an all-purpose insult, images of animals play a central role in politics, entertainment, and social interactions. In this penetrating look at how Western culture pictures the beast, Steve Baker examines how such images--sometimes affectionate, sometimes derogatory, always distorting--affect how real animals are perceived and treated. Baker provides an animated discussion of how animals enter into the iconography of power through wartime depictions of the enemy, political cartoons, and sports symbolism. He examines a phenomenon he calls the "disnification" of animals, meaning a reduction of the animal to the trivial and stupid, and shows how books featuring talking animals underscore human superiority. He also discusses how his findings might inform the strategies of animal rights advocates seeking to call public attention to animal suffering and abuse. Until animals are extricated from the baggage of imposed images, Baker maintains, neither they nor their predicaments can be clearly seen. For this edition, Baker provides a new introduction, specifically addressing an American audience, that touches on such topics as the Cow Parade, animal imagery in the presidential race, and animatronic animals in recent films.
Renowned authority Marian Stamp Dawkins' new work presents an illuminating and urgent argument for the need to rethink animal welfare. In the vein of Temple Grandin's work, Dawkins explains that this welfare must be made to work in practice to have any effect, and cannot be tinged by anthropomorphism and claims of animal consciousness, which lack firm empirical evidence and are often freighted with controversy and high emotions. Instead, animal-welfare efforts must focus on science and on fully appreciating the critical role animals play in human welfare. With growing concern over such issues as climate change and food shortages, how we treat those animals on which we depend for survival needs to be put squarely on the public agenda. Dawkins seeks to do this by offering a more complete understanding of how animals help us. In the end, it is human self-interest that will drive changes in our treatment of animals. Taking positions that might surprise and will certainly challenge animal lovers, Dawkins presents a persuasive argument for why animals truly matter. |
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